How to Pronounce “Reykjavik”

American (US)

/ˈreɪkjəvɪk/

British (UK)

/ˈreɪkjəvɪk/

proper noun — The capital city of Iceland.

Where the stress falls. “Reykjavik” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /ˈreɪkjəvɪk/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the first one — so the first syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /ˈreɪkjəvɪk/ contains a schwa /ə/ — the short, neutral “uh” that English unstressed syllables collapse into. Saying /ə/ there, instead of the vowel the spelling suggests, is most of what makes the word sound native.

What does "Reykjavik" mean?

Reykjavik (proper noun): The capital city of Iceland.

How do you pronounce "Reykjavik" in American vs British English?

Both accents use the same sequence of phonemes for "Reykjavik", /ˈreɪkjəvɪk/, so the difference you hear is in how the vowels are coloured rather than in which sounds are used. Play both on this page to compare.

What is the IPA transcription of "Reykjavik"?

/ˈreɪkjəvɪk/ in American English, /ˈreɪkjəvɪk/ in British English.

Which syllable is stressed in "Reykjavik"?

“Reykjavik” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /ˈreɪkjəvɪk/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the first one — so the first syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.